August
5, 2005, began a wonderful-and successful-musical journey. The Two
For The Road tour, starring Michael Feinstein and Linda Eder, kicked-off
in Massachusetts and it is still going strong today. Fans from all
across the country have marveled at the beautiful harmonies and
powerful soaring duets performed by these two incredibly gifted
professionals. But these two stars can't do it alone. When they
take the stage, they are backed by seven of the most talented and
experienced musicians in the business. Here, we catch up with Michael
and Linda about the show and what the "magnificent seven"
means to them.
Michael
Feinstein tells THE VOICE...
"Working
with Linda and the band is a doubly fulfilling experience because
we are lucky to have the greatest musicians in this field as our
collaborators. They have worked with every conceivable type of artist
and act, and are wise and fun souls too. The 'sound' of what the
band brings to our show is crucial because it creates a distinctive
trademark and makes the audience aware that there is a continuity
of style. John Oddo has created arrangements that show off the band
to their best advantage and gives them spots to shine without ever
detracting from the vocals that they accompany. They are all really
humble guys and could easily have big heads if you added up their
life experience. I enjoy the collaborative process, and everyone
is extremely creative. Linda is a consummate vocal artist, and I
would say that the only challenge in singing a duet with her is
phrasing with each other in perfect synch every night. You see,
we feel differently at different times, and it makes us sing the
songs differently. Therefore we might not sing a given phrase in
quite the same way, and so we have to be aware that it can change
from night to night. But then again, those experiences keep us connected
and on our toes. With Linda, it's always exciting and challenging
and that's what makes it so fun and exciting. The whole experience
is one of joy. I hope that the audience feels that way too!"
We
also caught up with Linda...
VOICE:
How important is the band to the success of Two For The Road?
LINDA: John Oddo wrote great arrangements for Two For The
Road, so the band is every bit as important as Michael and I. We
are very lucky to have such great musicians who not only play well,
but care about what they do, love what they do, and are fun to be
around.
VOICE: How does the band make a perfect complement to your
voice as well as to Michael's voice?
LINDA: Michael and I are throwbacks to the days of standard
singers so the acoustic big band sound is perfect.
VOICE: Are there any challenges with the show being mostly
duets?
LINDA: No challenges. We both have our own shows so it's
a pleasure to sing with someone else. Harmony is so much fun. It's
also a great relief not to be alone at center stage. Some days I'm
really funny. Some days I can't think of a thing to say. Michael
always has something entertaining to say.
VOICE: What do you enjoy most about working with this band?
LINDA: Well, obviously when the music is cooking, it's the
best thing in the world making music with them. Aside from that,
I love hanging out at the 'cow table' after sound check… lots
of funny stories and most of them are true!
VOICE: Good luck with the new shows!
LINDA: Thank you… We'll see you on the road!
And
now... let's hear it from the boys!...
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John
Oddo, Musical Director, tells THE VOICE...
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"The
Two For The Road show is so special because there aren't many
shows that focus almost entirely on duets. This show gives
you a chance to see the chemistry between Linda and Michael.
It's a very interesting chemistry because the two of them
are so different in their style and their personality. I really
enjoy working with this band. They are consummate professionals,
and they enjoy what they do so much. I've worked with several
of the band members individually over the years, but together
as a band it becomes something very special. I guess this
comes through in the music because they have been associated
with Linda for so long and care for her so much. So when you
put this band together with these two terrific singers…
how could you lose! Given the difference in Linda and Michael
as singers, their approach, their style, their personalities,
it was a real challenge to help put this show together so
that it worked as a whole. As an arranger, it's always rewarding
to hear the music come to life in the hands of professionals
of a certain level. I can't really pick a favorite song or
duet from the show. Each piece has its own personality. I
like each one of them for a different reason."
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Barry
Danielian , Trumpet, tells THE VOICE...
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"I
love 'Two For The Road!'
I love Linda and Michael!
I love all the songs!"
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Clint
De Ganon, Drums, tells THE VOICE...
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"The
Two For The Road show is very special because it showcases
not only Linda and Michael, but also John Oddo as an arranger.
Those contributions make the show what it is. I enjoy playing
John's arrangements and playing them with this band. I find
the experience rewarding when we play well… when the
sound onstage is good… when the catering is good…
when the flights aren't delayed… when the airport's close
to the hotel… when the hotel is close to the venue…
when the hotel is nice. Those things are all very rewarding.
If you play a show over and over again, the challenge is to
make it sound fresh. You have to try to hear it in that way
in order to do that. This show, like any other, poses that
challenge. My favorite moment in the show is Linda and Michael's
rendition of 'Two For The Road.'"
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Andy
Ezrin, Keyboards and Assistant Musical Director, tells THE
VOICE...
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"The Two For The Road show is so much fun for me because
I actually remember those 'live' television shows that Linda
and Michael talk about during their performances. Their off-the-cuff
banter and humor is so much fun to watch, even from our point
of view on the stage. Every night is a little different in
that respect and a real throwback to those TV shows like 'Sonny
& Cher.' I find the most challenging aspect of 'Two For
The Road' is playing the medleys. There's a lot of playing
and a lot of reading for the horns, but it's so well put together
at the hands of John Oddo. His attention to detail and masterful
arranging make the music that much easier to assimilate. The
song I enjoy most in the show is 'Two For The Road,' even
though we don't play on it. I love the way Linda and Michael
perform it."
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David
Finck, Bass, tells THE VOICE...
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"I
love the material that makes up Two For The Road. There are
a lot of great songs in there and the medleys are outstanding.
They're all good standard songs. I love Linda and Michael's
rendition of 'Both Sides Now.' Playing this show is fun and
it's something different from Linda's regular show. I've known
Michael for 25 years or so... I first met him when I was playing
with Liza Minnelli and he was just sort of 'coming into his
own' as an artist. He's grown so much and become a world-class
entertainer. He's VERY funny! He has great timing and he's
a quick wit. He does great impersonations! That's something
that certainly hasn't been part of Linda's show and it brings
a whole new flavor to the mix. Linda is naturally funny and
they play off each other in a nice way. I like all of that.
I'm usually not a big fan of medleys because you only get
part of a song and the idea of the song isn't fully communicated
to you musically... but in this case there's something I'm
enjoying about it. Maybe it's because the songs are so familiar
and wonderful! It's just been a lot of fun... good, pure,
entertaining fun!"
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Dan
Levine, Trombone, tells THE VOICE...
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"The
Two For The Road show is special because you get to see the
combined talents of Linda and Michael on stage. They each
bring something unique, and together they create a great dynamic.
They pay homage to those who preceded them but are also able
to have fun as a duo and make it their own. It's fun to check
out which songs Linda and Michael chose for medleys and how
cleverly they get from one to another. I also marvel at Michael's
depth of knowledge of standard tunes and how he will play
different harmonic variations on a song from night to night.
John Oddo has put together such fantastic arrangements that
the whole show is a blast to play. One big challenge for me
was playing that outdoor concert in Philly when it was about
105 degrees! My favorite song that Linda and Michael do is
'Two For The Road.' It's really a beautiful song, and they
just nail it every time. Their interpretation and harmonies
are fantastic."
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David
Mann , Woodwinds, tells THE VOICE...
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"Being
part of Two For The Road has been a pleasure. Linda and Michael
are fantastic performers and impeccable musicians. The guys
in the band are some of my best friends, and we always have
a great time. John Oddo's arrangements are top-notch, and
they complement Linda and Michael perfectly and are a joy
to play. I also enjoy the humorous exchanges that Michael
and Linda have between songs. They're very funny. It has been
a very pleasurable experience for me so far."
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